Cake bakery set to open in Grass Valley’s Nevada County Bank building

What little can be seen through the papered-over windows is designed to pique the curiosity of passers-by, with gorgeous vintage-look pendant lights hanging from the ceiling and a mural of giant peonies on the wall.

A relatively small stencil on the front door facing Mill Street, at the corner of Bank Street, provides a pretty good clue as to what it to come: Cake.

The baker behind Cake, Christine Cain, studied pastry arts at the Culinary Institute of America and is well-known in Nevada County for her confections. In 2011, she was featured in The Union for her desserts, which at the time were being sold at Back Porch Market.

Another daily offering will be canelés — "amazing little magical pastries" from Bordeaux.

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"They're made in little copper molds, which are brushed with a paper-thin layer of beeswax and ghee (clarified butter)," Cain explained. "The mold is filled with a custard and the outside gets caramelized."

The inside, meanwhile, thickens to the consistency of crème brûlée, Cain added.

And she said, "There will always be cake."

For lunch, Cain will feature simple, European-style sandwiches. Cake will stay open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and Cain is planning on wine tastings paired with charcuterie (cured meats).

Another French accent that will be on tap at Cake: entremets. Historically, this is a palate-cleanser or bite-size offering served up between courses at formal dinners.

"They're fancy little desserts you can grab to eat with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee," Cain said.

This will be Cain's first storefront.

"I'm so excited," she said, adding that she is shooting to open the doors at the beginning of October. "We're waiting for some building permits — it's a process. We're hoping to get the green light soon."